Former Grand Mufti of Lebanon Mohammed Rashid Qabbani Issues Fatwa: It Is an Islamic Duty to Wage Jihad to Liberate Palestine from the "Foreign Jewish Occupiers," All Peace Agreements with Them Null and Void Former Grand Mufti of Lebanon Mohammed Rashid Qabbani issued a fatwa according to which Palestinians and all Arabs and Muslims have a duty to wage Jihad "to liberate Palestine from the occupation of the Jews of the Balfour Declaration." Sheikh Qabbani compared the liberation of Palestine today to the Jihad waged by the Prophet Muhammad, by Omar ibn Al-Khattab, and by Saladin, and declared that Islam forbids the Palestinians and all Arab and Muslim countries "to surrender, to reconcile, to make peace treaties, or to concede a single inch of Arab Palestinian land to the foreign Jewish occupiers." Sheikh Qabbani's address aired on Al-Mayadeen TV on May 16.

Hamas Leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar: We Are Coordinating with Hizbullah, Iran on an Almost Daily BasisHamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar said, in an interview with the Lebanese Al-Mayadeen TV channel, that with the help of Iran, Hamas has managed to significantly develop its capabilities. Sinwar added that Iran has provided Hamas’s Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades and other Gaza factions "a lot of money, equipment, and expertise." He further said that his organization had "excellent" relations with Hizbullah and that there is coordination on an "almost daily" basis between the two organizations, and described Hamas’s relations with Iran, the IRGC, and Qasem Solimani as "strong and warm." The interview aired on May 21.

Netanyahu threatens enemies to its north with IDF ‘steel fist’

At ceremony marking IDF’s 70th anniversary, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says those who threaten to destroy Israel should know they “cannot overcome us and they are putting themselves in grave danger” • IDF raises alert in north in readiness for any attack from Syria.

Top military and government officials, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Reuven Rivlin and Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, spoke at the ceremony held at Latrun in central Israel.

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While most of the speakers refrained from directly mentioning Iran, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot told the audience: “The volatility in various areas, our enemies’ attempts to gain power, and the Iranian attempts to deepen its foothold near our borders all demand initiative and determination on our part to bolster readiness for any scenario.”

Netanyahu did not mention Iran specifically in his speech, but issued a strong warning to Israel’s enemies.

“Whoever hurts us, we will hurt them,” he said. “The enemies who threaten us with destruction should know that they will encounter an iron wall. They cannot overcome us, and they are putting themselves in grave danger. Our steel fist is clenched and ready.”

Lieberman also touched on the mounting tensions between Israel and Iran, chiefly due to Iran’s growing presence in bordering Syria, saying that Israel “is not interested in escalation, but our role is to be ready for any scenario.”

Meanwhile, the IDF is on high alert in northern Israel in preparation for possible Iranian-instigated surface or air attacks in response to a series of strikes on Iranian targets in Syria that Iran attributes to Israel.

A senior IDF official said on Monday evening that the Iranians do not want to fight a war with Israel, and so will likely look for ways of retaliating without sparking a full-scale conflict.

Israeli defense officials believe that Iran has several options for mounting a limited response, including firing missiles at IDF troops with the goal of scoring casualties or having Hezbollah or other Shi’ite militias carry out a limited action to try to breach Israel’s northern borders with Syria or Lebanon, and carry out terrorist attacks inside Israel.

Meanwhile, residents of northern Israel are continuing their daily routines. Neither the Golan Regional Council nor the Katzrin Regional Council has issued any special instructions for residents.

Shefi Mor, tourism director for Kibbutz Merom Golan, said: “It still hasn’t started. I’m getting ready, that’s for sure. We are aware of the defense preparations, but we haven’t gotten any special instructions or calls about [reservation] cancellations.”

Tourism remained steady at Kibbutz El Rom on the northern Golan Heights, although some residents noted that the civil war in Syria, which has encroached on Israel’s northern border, has prompted an unusual IDF presence.

“There are concerns, but things are absolutely routine here. We feel that we have someone to depend on—that the IDF is ready, alert and prepared,” one resident said. “We’re just waiting for orders.”